DiploLab

Alaa’a Ashkar ‘25  is majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations and is a part of the 3+3 program. In addition to the DiploLab, she is also a part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). Her areas of interest include international law and human rights, international criminal law, media, and journalism, with a special focus on the Middle East, and American Foreign Policy. 

Joshua Axton ‘25  is double majoring in International Relations and Economics and minoring in Spanish. He is currently the Curriculum Director for the Voice of Leadership and Vice-President of the Gaming Sector. Josh also works as a Desk Assistant on campus and is a scholar at the Buccino Leadership Institute and a regular contributor to the Global Current Podcast at Seton Hall. His areas of interest include international development, foreign policy, and security studies. 

Deborah Carreno ‘25 is majoring in International Relations and Diplomacy. She is the Treasurer of the United Nations Association at Seton Hall University. A fun fact about her is that she is bilingual and is currently learning two other languages which are Arabic and French. Her research interests include economic development in Latin America and the Middle East. She is also interested in the history of international institutions. 

Jasmine De Leon ‘24 is majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations and minoring in Catholic Studies, Journalism, and Asian Studies. She is the Executive Director of The Global Current and a member of the Buccino Leadership Institute, where she conducts interviews for the Undergraduate Leaders Podcast. Jasmine also writes for The Diplomatic Envoy and The Setonian. Her research interests include women’s rights, climate security, and the role of social media and journalism in global affairs.

Zachary Edwards '25 is a sophomore majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations with a minor in Asian Studies. He is a member of the Resilience Integrity Scholarship and Excellence (RISE) program, and his primary interests are in East Asian affairs and international security, specifically Japanese relations.

Esther Edowokui ‘26 is majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations with a minor in Russian and East European Studies. She is the head Secretary of the Slavic Club and has a research interest in international human rights and law.

Anna Enukishvili ‘27 is majoring in International Relations and Diplomacy. A fun fact about her is that she is bilingual and speaks Georgian. She is also studying French. Anna is the manager and Executive Board member of Media Design for the Cognitech AI Club at Seton Hall University. Her research interests include foreign policy, climate security, and democratic erosion in post-Soviet states..

Hamzah Khan '24 is majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations with minors in History, and Economics. He was an Associate Producer for the Global Current Podcast and the Managing Editor for Seton Hall School of Diplomacy’s official undergraduate newspaper, The Diplomatic Envoy. Hamzah also competes on Seton Hall’s competitive Model United Nations team and was the Secretary-General of SHUMUN XXV, Seton Hall’s annual Model UN conference for high schoolers. He has interned with the Council on American Islamic Relations and the U.S. State Department. His main areas of interest are geopolitics and security in the MENA region, economic development, and U.S. foreign policy.

Melissa Myrtaj ‘24 is studying International Relations and Diplomacy with minors in Russian/Eastern European Studies and Anthropology. Melissa is the President of the Slavic Club, a Diplomacy Mentor for incoming freshmen, and a writer for The Diplomatic Envoy. Her interests include international development and democratic erosion, especially in post-communist states. 

Madeline Rowe ‘26 is double majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations and Religion. Madeline is in the Honors Program and is a member of the Buccino Leadership Institute. She is also the Campus News Editor of The Diplomatic Envoy and a Diplomacy Mentor for freshmen. Madeline has also interned with New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell. Her research interests include the intersection between diplomacy and religion. 

Eric Bunce'23 graduated in 2023 with a degree in international relations at Seton Hall. Eric also studied Economics and French. He used to host the Diplomacy Undergraduate podcast, the Global Current and writes for The Diplomatic Envoy. Eric is interested in conflict studies, refugee flows, foreign policy, and Europe.

Mary Burke ‘23 graduated in 2023 majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations with a minor in Arabic. Mary was a member of the SHU Honors Program and the Martin Luther King Scholarship Association. She was also the Senate Speaker in the Student Government Association and a Resident Assistant for Housing and Residence Life. In her studies, she has focused on international law and human rights, with a focus on women’s rights.

Eric Criscitelli '20 graduated in 2020 and received his undergraduate degree in Diplomacy & International Relations. Upon graduating, LexPro Research as a Junior Research Analyst where he focused on background research and due diligence investigations. His experience with the DiploLab and other classwork provided invaluable research and writing skills, which he uses in his career.

Jarrett Dang '22 graduated in 2022 and received his undergraduate degrees in Diplomacy & International Relations and Economics with a minor in French. In addition to DiploLab, Jarrett was also the Editor-in-Chief for The Diplomatic Envoy and the Associate Producer at the Global Current. Jarrett previously interned at the United States Mission to the United Nations, where he worked in the Press and Public Diplomacy Section. Upon graduating, he went to Georgetown University where he enrolled in their Master's program in Foreign Service at the Walsh School of Foreign Service. His areas of interest lie in global human rights, post-conflict reconstruction, and international development.

Ayse Ergene '19 graduated in 2019 and received her undergraduate degree in Diplomacy and International Relations. She then went on to American University to continue her graduate studies in the International Peace and Conflict Resolution program. Her concentrations are international negotiations and MENA studies. Ayse also worked as a junior fellow at the Orion Policy Institute, an independent non-profit think tank, and conducted a research series on women's role in the Arab uprisings since 2011.

Erik Kacprzyk '23 graduated in 2023 with a Master’s from the School of Diplomacy specializing in International Security and Foreign Policy Analysis. In addition to DiploLab, Erik is an associate editor for the Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations. His interests include countering violent extremism and the politics of Eastern European and post-Soviet states.

R. Joseph Huddleston is an Assistant Professor in the School of Diplomacy and International Relations. He specializes in diplomacy by rebel groups, dynamics in intrastate conflict, and research design. His current work focuses on diplomatic activities of secessionist, separatist, and self-determination movements, as well as how international actors help or hinder separatist groups apart from diplomatic recognition. He also studies how civilian populations respond to violence and economic disruption in civil war. Dr. Huddleston has published in the Journal of Peace Research, the Journal of Conflict Resolution, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, as well as in policy reports for government agencies and other peer-reviewed outlets.
 

Michael Murphy is the Politics, Policy, and Data Librarian at Seton Hall, serving as the primary library liaison for the School of Diplomacy and International Relations as well as the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs. He is also a member of the University Research Data Services team. 

Brandon Valeriano joined Seton Hall in the Fall of 2023. His task is to help build out the specialization in Homeland Security at the grad and undergrad levels. His research is focused on emergent technology, cyber security, popular culture and soft power, race and ethnicity politics, and international conflict. His 2018 book is Cyber Strategy, now available in paperback from Amazon and OUP. He serves as the Area Editor for International Relations and Strategy for the Journal of Cybersecurity and a General Editor for the Oxford University Press Book Series on Disruptive Technology and International Security. He also serves as a Senior Fellow for the Cyberspace Solarium 2.0.